Lolita Rules Alignment Quiz

The lolita rules are a perpetually lurking bogeyman. Newbie lolitas are, to this day, told to beware breaking the rules, or face the fatal consequence of being called ita. 

whenever we discuss the rules, I think of Fairly OddParents

 The first version of the rules that I remember comes from the Livejournal Lolita Handbook, which is surprisingly still there. Note that, in 2006, the Handbook specifically states:

" This journal is meant as a way to ease beginners into the fashion and provide resources to more experienced lolitas - it is by no means a rule book. Take only what you want from this and use it to help you develop your own personal style."

The later Lolita Fashion Wiki Beginner's Guide doesn't even use the term rules, instead using the terms "hints" and "guidelines". Most recently, Lovelylaceandlies has compiled a wonderfully updated version of the rules, which includes the constant refrain: the rules are helpful, but they're not legally binding. 

Instead of viewing the rules as prescriptive, I like to see them as descriptive. It's not "this is what you should do to be a lolita", but "lolitas often do these things." Think of a birdwatching book: male cardinals may be listed as red in the book, but if you see a young male cardinal that still has brown feathers, that's not a failure on the bird's part, but rather a gap in the book's description of reality. As people mature into the fashion, the rules become less important than their personal styles; their outfits may follow the rules, but only incidentally. I end up following the rules out of pure happenstance-- throwing on a petticoat is practically muscle memory at this point.  

This indifference to rules has fused with the concepts of D&D alignment, personal style, my fixation on personality quizzes, and this one sandwich graphic in my mind to create the following Lolita Rules Alignment quiz. This quiz is meant for individuals to play with  our own relationship with lolita orthodoxy, not to judge others. 

mattomic's sandwich alignment chart has rotted my pudding brain

There are three areas for alignment in this quiz: coverage, specificity, and styling. 

Coverage is exactly what it says on the tin: how much of your body is covered by your coordinates? This is sometimes referred to as modesty, but lolita is flashy as all hell, so modesty's toned down implications don't really apply. 

Specificity is the next parameter: are these pieces made specifically for lolita? Specificity can include brands, categories of items, or individual garments. The further something is from being available at my local mall, the more lolita-specific it is. 

Styling is the final parameter, and it refers to motifs, colorways, and all the other stylistic details that set lolita apart. Where specificity relies on intent and social consensus, styling covers the actual material characteristics of a coordinate. 

Each question is graded on a scale of 1-5, wherein 1 is the strictest (Lawful) interpretation of a rule, 3 is Neutral, and 5 is Chaotic, or as I like to call it, complete frill anarchy.  All options are written in the first person. Some of them are personal shout-outs to my friends. 

At the end of the quiz, you can add up your totals and see just how much of a gremlin you really are!  

If you have specific styling needs (i.e., allergic to jewelry, sensory issues, religious modesty) you may have a higher score. That's okay, and it doesn't make you any less of a lolita-- it just means that your coords are unorthodox.  

The Quiz

Instructions: for each question, choose the option that best matches how you personally wear your lolita coordinates. This quiz does not work for ouji, EGA, or other styles. Remember, your scores do not indicate goodness, merely adherence to lolita orthodoxy. 

Coverage

1. My skirts and dresses are:
1. Voluminous and approximately knee length, with tea-length exceptions. 
2. Poofy skirts, with most somewhere between just-above-the-knee and tea length, but occasionally incorporating a shorter skirt or a longer dress.
3. A diverse mix of poofy skirts, possibly including knee length, tea length, shorter skirts and salopettes, and huge ballgown-style skirts.
4. Usually poofy skirts, but with plenty of poofy miniskirts, long voluminous skirts, tighter skirts, or mermaid skirts. 
5. Bold of you to assume I'm wearing a skirt.  
2. When it comes to my torso:
1. My shoulders are always covered with sleeves of some sort (short or long) and I never show off cleavage. 
2. I wore a jumperskirt without a blouse once when it was really hot. 
3. I go blouseless in hot weather and I wear lolita-appropriate tank tops. I might show some collarbone. 
4. I go blouseless and occasionally incorporate cleavage onto my ero coordinates. 
5. I wear crop tops and show cleavage with lolita. 
3. Headwear:
1. I always have a headbow, bonnet, hat, or other headdress and bangs to balance it out. I often wear multiple hair accessories at once. 
2. I always have a hair accessory, but it might be a smaller non-lolita clip or ribbon, and I don't always wear bangs. 
3. I almost always have a hair accessory, but occasionally for casual coordinates I just style my hair/wig in a way that matches the coord, like twintails or something. 
4. I rarely have hair accessories, but I keep my hair styled to match my coordinate. I might have colorful hair, but it kinda goes with my style (e.g., hot pink with sweet or dark blue with gothic). 
5. I think I have probably brushed my hair before, but that's about it. I might also have an unusual hairstyle (like a mohawk or buzz cut) or a really unusual hair color (e.g., neon green). 
4. Wrist coverage:
1. I always cover my wrists with long sleeves or wristcuffs, sometimes both
2. I always have something on both wrists, but it might just be a couple bracelets. 
3. I almost always have at least one bracelet on, but it really varies. 
4. Sometimes I wear something on my wrist, but it's unusual. 
5. I almost never wear anything on my wrists. 
5. Legwear and shoes: 

1. Nobody can know I have knees or toes; tights or OTKs and close-toed shoes only. 
2. I'll sometimes show a little knee (UTKs), but that's about all. 
3. I'll wear lolita ankle socks, but my shoes are closed toed still. 
4. I always wear socks or tights of some sort, but I might wear them with sandals. 
5. I wear sandals and let people see my toes for free. Let them doggies breathe. 

Specificity

1. Brands:
1. In each coordinate, I only wear items from one single Japanese Burando (as featured in the Gothic and Lolita Bibles), except for my shoes and maybe purse. 
2. I only wear items from lolita-specific brands, but I'll mix and match different items from different brands. My wardrobe probably has a bunch of items from Japanese brands and well-known international brands. 
3. My coordinates use mostly lolita brand items and my main piece will always be from a lolita brand (or handmade by a skilled sewist). My wardrobe includes a lot of international brands, including ones that don't have a huge following.  
4. I don't care who made the item, as long as it works with my coordinate. I'll mix Japanese brands, international lolita brands, Renaissance Faire garb, and thrifted stuff in equal parts. 
5. Shein, Aldi, and Lidl are lolita brands.  
2. Petticoats and poof levels. 
1. I always wear a very poofy petticoat or hoopskirt made specifically for lolita. 
2. I almost always wear a petticoat, but it might just be a crappy costume store tutu, unusually enthusiastic bloomers, or another skirt worn as a petticoat.
3. I usually wear a petticoat, but I'll go without if the coordinate is casual, the weather is uncomfortable, or there's a built-in petti that works enough. 
4. I sometimes wear petticoats, but other times the vibes are off. 
5. I almost never wear a petticoat.  
3. Bloomers and safety shorts: 
1. I always wear bloomers specifically made for lolita, even over tights. I may have accidentally tried to wear my bloomers under my tights and been very confused and uncomfortable for about five minutes. 
2. I usually wear cute bloomers, but sometimes I'll just wear tights. 
3. I always wear something to cover my butt, but it's just as likely to be athletic shorts as it is bloomers, unless I want that peeking bloomer look. 
4. I usually wear shorts or tights, but for longer skirts I don't bother. 
5. I almost never wear shorts of any kind under my coords. I am a breathability icon. 
4. Shoes: 
1. I only wear close-toed shoes specifically meant for lolita, goth shoes for gothic, or rocking horse shoes. I might have shelled out for authentic VW rocking horse shoes. 
2. I almost always wear historically inspired or vintage close-toed shoes or shoes from non-lolita brands, but they're in typically lolita styles like Mary Janes. 
3. I mostly wear lolita-styled shoes, but I might throw in some chunky pastel sneakers or platform sandals on occasion. I try to match my rainboots and other weather-specific shoes to my outfits. 
4. I frequently wear sneakers with lolita. I may wear winter boots or other weather appropriate shoes with my coordinate, even if they don't match my coordinate at all. If I wear Crocs with lolita, I specifically chose them in a matching color with coordinating Jibbitz. 
5. I either wear flip-flops with lolita or Crocs in a clashing color. I might also wear dirty sneakers, Heelys, or VibramFivefinger shoes. 
5. Jewelry and accessories: 
1. I only wear jewelry and accessories from lolita brands or brands that explicitly cater to lolitas, such as BB&B and Restyle. I try to find matching sets including hair accessories and legwear as much as possible. If I DIY stuff, I'm good enough that people have asked me where I bought it. 
2. I mix lolita brand jewelry, vintage jewelry, goth jewelry, and jewelry from independent designers. I have a few matching sets including headdresses and occasionally legwear, but I'm happy to mix and match. 
3. I don't wear brand jewelry much at all, but I still have a good amount of lolita-specific legwear and/or accessories. I only worry about matching headdresses if the color or motif is hard to coordinate otherwise. I occasionally have luck finding tights and other small items at regular stores. 
4. My jewelry, legwear, and other accessories are overwhelmingly from vintage sources, generic kawaii brands, independent artists, or other brands specializing in other alt fashions. I frequently incorporate items from mainstream fashion brands. If I live near a vintage store or a Hot Topic, I am a frequent visitor. I frequently DIY accessories. 
5. I almost never wear items aimed specifically at lolitas or goths. If I am a sweet lolita, I probably have spent some quality time at Claire's. I likely have some refined DIY skills. I spent time in the cosplay mines. 

Styling 

1. Substyle adherence:
1. I don't really have anything outside my one chosen substyle (sweet, gothic, or classic, mostly). I might have my entire wardrobe centered around a specific motif (e.g. cats, chocolate, or crowns) or a particular time period (e.g. 1997-2005 or 2008-2012). 
2. I really have one main style I default to, but I might dabble in others occasionally. If I wear multiple substyles, they're pretty much separate. 
3. I wear multiple substyles and might mix pieces from different styles together. 
4. I wear a lot of substyles and enjoy styling pieces in unusual ways, such as severe gothic JSKs with pink sweet accessories. The experimentation is part of the fun!
5. I don't even register my coordinates as having a substyle-- they're just lolita.  
2. Colorways:
1. I only wear one or two specific colorways. I make sure that my pinks or blacks match exactly, and have sold items for having the wrong undertones. 
2. I stick to the old standbys: bright pastels or red, navy, and white for sweet; jewel tones and dusty pastels for classic; and red, white, Moitie blue, and plenty of black for gothic. The undertones of my colors usually match. 
3. I occasionally like some rarer colorways like khaki in classic, peacock blue/green in classic and gothic, or grey in sweet. I may think bittersweet is a legitimate substyle (wrong). I don't always care about matching undertones or shades of the same color. 
4. I like rare colorways like orange, dark yellow, and periwinkle. I may have a specific colorway that has captured my heart (and wallet), and it's probably Atelier Pierrot's overseas purple. 
5. I think any color can be lolita; my wardrobe (real or aspirational) has colors only shrimp can see. I think that hot pink is underrated. I want to merge high vis and lolita. 
3. Motifs:
1. I usually keep my motifs strictly separate, wearing only accessories that match the themes of the outfit. 
2. I will mix motifs only if they make sense and the colors work; I might wear stars with witchy prints, or candies with bakery and fruit prints. 
3. I usually match the theme of my main pieces, but I also have a couple different motifs that I slap into any coord that needs details. If I wear gothic, it's probably crosses or bats; for classic, it's almost always roses; and sweets default to macarons. It doesn't need to make sense with the main piece as long as it follows the visual logic. 
4. I don't worry about mixing motifs at all; as long as the colors work when you squint, I'll make it happen, even if it means wearing snowflakes with a summery underwater print. I might also enjoy mixing simpler patterns, like polka dots, stripes, and plaid. 
5.  I actively try to mix themes in unconventional ways. One day I'm a vampire pâtissier, the next I'm a mermaid ballerina.
4. Lace:
1. I am careful to match my lace types as closely as possible (tulle with tulle, torchon with torchon, chemical with chemical), and I try to make sure that the motifs embroidered on the tulle lace make sense with my coordinate. I avoid raschel lace. I definitely have a specific brand lace design that I look for. 
2. I mix some lace types, but as long as they're similarly chunky (cluny and torchon) or dainty (tulle), the specific design doesn't matter. I'm fine with raschel lace from Meta or other trusted sources.  I pay attention to custom brand lace, but I don't go nuts over it. I like it when brands include subtle touches of other trims, like gold braid on military pieces. 
3. If I'm going for a specific look or time period, I try to make the lace match that, but I'm fine mixing things up. The specific type of lace doesn't matter to me, as long as it's not itchy. I think the pom-pom trim on Puppet Circus is really neat and circus-y. 
4. I never worry about matching lace. If I do know the difference between Venise and torchon lace, I have rarely, if ever, acted upon it. Lace only matters as part of the garment design, and it has to be pretty fantastic or terrible for me to comment on it. I think brands should use more unconventional trims, like tassles and ric-rac. 
5. When they coined the term "lacemonster", they were referring to me. I have never met a trim I didn't like. My raschel lace might be soft and sturdy cotton, or it might be terrifying waterproof polyester, and you'll never know until it's too late. 
5. Construction and fabric:
1. Good construction is the most important part of a piece to me. If a garment fits poorly, has bad construction, or relies too much on the print for visual interest, I flat-out won't wear it. I probably know the difference between regular tucks and pintucks, and I definitely have an opinion about cotton versus polyester. 
2. I can very occasionally overlook weird construction choices, but the technical quality of a piece factors significantly into my decision making process. I often look out for fiber choices, lining, and bodice construction before deciding on a main piece. 
3. I think sewn details are important, but I'll overlook some plainer designs or bad fit if the rest of the dress is really good. I may notice things like lining, pockets, and bodice seams and darts, but the visible details like ruffles, pintucks, and decorative corset lacing are more important than the guts of the dress. 
4. The details matter way less than the overall look of a dress or skirt. I'm okay snipping threads and resewing the buttons on a brand-new dress if the print is cute enough and the fabric feels nice!
5.  As long as I can make it look good in photos, the actual quality of the dress doesn't matter to me at all. 

Totals

Add together your scores for each category, then total them all together for your final score!

Coverage

• 5-11: Strict

You have every item on the lolita checklist. If I forget visual aids for demonstrating the parts of a coordinate during a panel, I'll just make you stand up instead.

• 12-18: Balanced

You might take occasional liberties, but the essence of your lolita style broadly falls within the typical silhouette. You have a realistic approach to lolita, and probably have made adaptations to wear it more frequently. 

• 19-25: Radical

Your lolita style exists independent of ideas of coverage. You might live in a climate that makes lolita layering sweaty and uncomfortable, or you might just not vibe with all of the typical lolita items. 

Specificity

• 5-11: Orthodox

Almost everything you wear with lolita is designed to be worn with lolita. The designers that make your pieces (whether it's one specific Brand or a hundred smaller indie designers) are an important part of your relationship to the fashion. 

• 12-18: Mixed

Your wardrobe mixes all sorts of sources, but there's a solid core of lolita brands (or handmade items) at its center. You likely balance high spending on main pieces from more recognizable brands with less expensive accessories, blouses, and legwear from less prominent sources.  

• 19-25: Generalist

You don't care where a piece is from or what it's meant for-- if you feel like wearing it with lolita, you'll wear it with lolita. You are probably very exciting in thrift stores. 

Styling

• 5-11: Focused

You are very dedicated to a specific substyle, or perhaps more than one. Your wardrobe is is either very cohesive, very large, or both. Your lolita friends might say that piece they saw reminds you of them, and that's sometimes because you already own it. 

• 12-18: Moderate

You have a core aesthetic that you like, but it doesn't limit you. You probably have a few outliers in your wardrobe that are really difficult to style. Even though you don't wear everything as much as you would like, the variety is important to you. 

• 19-25: Wild

You love the playful aspects of lolita fashion. If lolita is a buffet, you want to try a bit of everything and come back for thirds. You heard the word ita and thought it sounded like good experience. 

Totals 

Edited the ranges slightly July 24 after feedback. 

• 15-31: Lawful

You are a rules-abiding lolita citizen who pays your lolita taxes. You might not enforce the rules on others, but your personal lolita style sticks pretty strictly to the archetypal lolita template. Your coordinates are always instantly recognizable as lolita. 

• 32-56: Neutral 

Your lolita coordinates adapt to the circumstances of your life, but you still retain the essence of the style. Maybe you wear lolita fashion casually, or maybe you just like a little wiggle room-- for you, the rules are a good starting point, but not the end.

• 57-70: Chaotic

Variety is the spice of life, and with fashion, you like it hot. Your lolita style ranges widely, and might not always mesh with other people's ideals of lolita fashion, but it makes you happy, and that's what matters. For you, the rules are meant to be broken, and that's how you want to push the fashion forward. 

Bonus fourth category 

• 71-75: Feral

Your style may or may not be lolita, but you seem to be having a lot of fun with it! You're always playing around with fashion in a sort of improv comedy, "yes and" way. You are probably fun at parties.  

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this silly little quiz! I fully expect that most people who see themselves as lolitas will get a neutral result, like I did. 

Honestly, the rules might help describe things for people new to the fashion, but maturing in the style means getting an intuition for how a good coordinate feels. It's tragically vibes based, and the only way to learn the vibe is by living it. 

Anyhow, it's fun for me to take a step back and think about my style. Every result is a good result-- it's the journey that matters.